History Behind Game Boy Purchase
Gumpei Yokoi's greatest creation is something I vehemently always have been against. I absolutely refused to buy a black and white portable when there were three other color portables (Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear, and NEC Turbo Express) from which I could choose. What happened is that I was at a flea market, looking for NES and SMS games, in August 1997. I came across a Super Game Boy and was able to acquire it for the astonishing price of $5! I always wanted to get Link's Awakening on Game Boy, so it was a no-brainer to buy a Super Game Boy. I also was a huge fan of a game called "Boxes" on my TI-85 calculator, so I purchased a used copy of Boxxle.
Now listen to this irony: I finally decided to buy a Game Boy on October 27, 1998. And what did I do? I bought a black and white Game Boy Pocket a mere three weeks before Game Boy Color was scheduled to be released. How stupid was that? I got a yellow one for $49.99 at the place I worked (KB Toys). I basically got a Game Boy for Pokémon, because I thought the game was so great. I also wanted to link up with my friend, who already had an original-style Game Boy.
After the revival of the Game Boy market, due to Pokémon and Game Boy Color, I had to wait a few more years until I could add cheap, used games to my collection. But, with Game Boy, there only ever were a few games I wanted—even if there were numerous versions of the franchises I love. Aside from being sucked into the Pokémon hype, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I really haven't had much use for my Game Boy. As it stands now, I have no desire to purchase any other Game Boy game or system (i.e., Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Micro). Most likely, if I ever want to play it, I'll just make use of that aforementioned Super Game Boy adapter (for Super Nintendo) that I bought at the flea market.
Retrospectively, the Game Boy was a case of the right product at the right time and at the right price. Nintendo parlayed its success with the original NES into this portable. The 8-bit Game Boy and its various incarnations lasted from 1989 to the release of the 16-bit Game Boy Advance in 2001. A remarkable feat considering how quickly technology improves. As hard as it is to believe, however, the Game Boy's success was bested by the Nintendo DS.
Now listen to this irony: I finally decided to buy a Game Boy on October 27, 1998. And what did I do? I bought a black and white Game Boy Pocket a mere three weeks before Game Boy Color was scheduled to be released. How stupid was that? I got a yellow one for $49.99 at the place I worked (KB Toys). I basically got a Game Boy for Pokémon, because I thought the game was so great. I also wanted to link up with my friend, who already had an original-style Game Boy.
After the revival of the Game Boy market, due to Pokémon and Game Boy Color, I had to wait a few more years until I could add cheap, used games to my collection. But, with Game Boy, there only ever were a few games I wanted—even if there were numerous versions of the franchises I love. Aside from being sucked into the Pokémon hype, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I really haven't had much use for my Game Boy. As it stands now, I have no desire to purchase any other Game Boy game or system (i.e., Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Micro). Most likely, if I ever want to play it, I'll just make use of that aforementioned Super Game Boy adapter (for Super Nintendo) that I bought at the flea market.
Retrospectively, the Game Boy was a case of the right product at the right time and at the right price. Nintendo parlayed its success with the original NES into this portable. The 8-bit Game Boy and its various incarnations lasted from 1989 to the release of the 16-bit Game Boy Advance in 2001. A remarkable feat considering how quickly technology improves. As hard as it is to believe, however, the Game Boy's success was bested by the Nintendo DS.
What lies below is a listing of my Game Boy collection along with some history behind the system's purchase. One thing to keep in mind is that these are all the games I currently own. I've actually had other games throughout the years. But I got rid of some of them for whatever reason. Please also note that all of the games listed below are actual cartridges. I am neither into getting emulators for the classics nor am I into pirating the latest games.
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Everyone in the world knows about Pokémon. It turned into one of the greatest licensing properties of all time. After you get beyond the trails and trails of money, though, you'll find that Pokémon is a great game. It truly is an addictive, fun game if you're willing to give it a chance. It has a ton of depth and strategy. Don't believe me? Try it!
If I didn't become addicted to Pokémon, then Tetris surely would be my favorite Game Boy ever. Because Nintendo had the exclusive video game rights to Tetris back in the early 1990s, this was the place to play the game. A few things put the game over the top: hidden "easter eggs," memorable music, and the ability to link-up against another player!
When compared to many other platformers, Super Mario Land doesn't live up to their standards. But the game always will hold a special place with many gamers. That's because it was the first game we played on the first portable system we ever played. Super Mario Land is a little simple and strays from the Mario universe, but it introduced us to the Game Boy world.
R.C. Pro-Am is a favorite of many NES gamers out there, including me. This sequel was released on Game Boy, but it doesn't miss a beat. It recreates the same gameplay and same feeling as the original in near perfect fashion on the small screen. What makes it that much better, though, is when you link up with another human player. A truly wonderful link-up game.
Boxxle has to be one of my favorite puzzle games ever. It's not a matter of eye-hand coordination. It's not a matter of beating the clock. It requires analytical thinking and foresight. The goal of the game is to move each crate to a designated area (signified by the dot). But you only can move one crate at a time and many narrow passages exist. It's addicting!
- Boxxle
- Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 2
- Donkey Kong ('94) - SGB enhanced
- Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - SGB + Remake on (NS)
- Marble Madness (GCN)
- Pokémon Gold (GBC) - SGB
- Pokémon Pinball (GBC) - SGB
- Pokémon Red - SGB + Let's Go, Pikachu & FireRed GBA on (NS)
- Super Mario Land - SGB
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins - SGB
- Super R.C. Pro-Am
- Tetris - SGB
- Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 - SGB
The following bulleted points are some random notes and thoughts about the Game Boy. In the list, you will find information about the system and games that I could not place anywhere else.
- I want to make these games part of my permanent collection: none (although my sister-in-law gave me her games years later).
- Hitherto, there were several Game Boy and Game Boy Color games that I never played that interested me. Examples included Super Mario Land 2, Kirby's Dream Land, Game & Watch Gallery, Metroid II: Return of Samus, and Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3.
- I never played all that much of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
- With my actual Game Boy Pocket on the fritz, who knew that I would be able to make use of my Super Game Boy (SNES accessory) to play on a modern TV...thank goodness for the Framemeister.
Copyright © Scott McCall. All Rights Reserved. ™ and © for all products, characters, and indicia related thereto which are contained herein are owned by the companies who market or license those products.
1. Pokémon
2. Tetris
3. Super Mario Land
4. Super R.C. Pro-Am
5. Boxxle
Honorable Mention: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Pokémon Pinball
